This is part one of a two part story on hygiene myths. Click here for part two.

From health care providers to websites to advice passed down through generations, there are a lot of ways to get health care information, especially tips for minor ailments you can treat at home.

Awad Alyami, MD, a pediatrician at OSF HealthCare, breaks down some common myths.

• Myth: There’s a one-size-fits-all pill for common illnesses.

Fact: It depends on whether it’s a viral infection (like influenza, the common cold or coronavirus) or a bacterial infection (like pneumonia, strep throat or food-borne illnesses like salmonella).

“For the most part, with bacterial infections you need to see a health care provider. You’re probably going to need an antibiotic,” Dr. Alyami says. “Most viral infections just run their course, and you focus on the symptoms. If you have a fever, you take fever medication. If you have pain, you take pain medication. If kids are six years or older and have a cough, they can use over-the-counter cough medication.”

Dr. Alyami points out that you can take those medications to help with bacterial infection symptoms, too. But you need an antibiotic, too, to get better.

• Myth: Feed a cold and starve a fever.

Fact: You should modify your diet when sick to avoid trigger foods, like spicy or greasy foods. But reducing the amount you eat and drink won’t make you better sooner. In fact, Dr. Alyami says hydration is critical.

“When kids have infections and a fever, one of the most common reasons they end up in the hospital is dehydration,” Dr. Alyami says. “When kids are sick, they lose fluids from their body and need hydration.”

So, drink plenty of water and eat nutritious foods as your body can tolerate.

• Myth: I can go back to work or school as soon as I start to feel better.

Fact: Dr. Alyami says you should be fever-free (body temperature less than 100.4 degrees) for 24 hours with improving symptoms.

When you go back out, practice good habits like thorough handwashing and avoiding coughing or sneezing into the open air.

• Myth: If I don’t look or feel dirty, I don’t need to shower or bathe.

Fact: Dr. Alyami says there’s no “catch all” advice for how often to wash off. Some people will shower or bathe daily. Others will do so every other day or less frequently. Dr. Alyami advises you to shower or bathe when you feel you need to or after you’ve been in a dirty or sweaty environment, like after playing sports or a hike in the woods. People with skin conditions should also clean themselves with care.

“For people with eczema or atopic dermatitis, I recommend daily showers,” Dr. Alyami says. “But they need to be quick because the more exposure to water we have, the more we dehydrate the skin. So, showers should not exceed 15 minutes, and you should apply moisturizer right away afterward.”

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Bathrooms are filled with germ-breeding objects, and your toilet isn’t the sole culprit. 

Showers, toothbrushes, soap dispensers and any surface can be added to the germy list, according to Kaylin Heinz, an infection preventionist RN with OSF HealthCare. Heinz offers some cleaning tips for the different areas of your bathroom.

Shower Cleaning tips 

"When you're cleaning, go from top to bottom," Heinz says. “If you start cleaning your tub and then you clean your shower walls, you're going to have to re-clean the tub. When you're getting out of the shower, think about the moisture that's there. That's where the bacteria and fungus are going to grow, so you're going to want to get rid of that moisture if you can.”

The moisture buildup isn’t limited to linens, Heinz says. She recommends wiping down any moisture seen in the shower before getting out. Use a Squeegee, towel or paper towel to dry the area.

Normally, you should clean your shower at least once a week. If many people use the shower on a daily basis, or if someone is sick, Heinz says it is best to clean it every day.

Charles Gerba, PhD, a microbiology professor at the University of Arizona, told Reader’s Digest that bathmats and other fabrics are some of the dirtiest items, because people step on them with dirty shoes, and they stay wet and damp the longest.

Bathtubs’ path to bacterial and fungal infections

If you have a cut on your body, you can introduce bacteria or fungus to the area during a shower. 

"You can get athlete's foot or a staph infection just through the tub and not cleaning," Heinz says. She adds the film on the bottom of the shower or bathtub is a clear sign of where bacteria is living. Make sure to scrub the area, clean it and let it dry completely. If you notice discoloration in your shower or bathtub, Heinz recommends cleaning it immediately.  

Bathroom cleaning tips

"Your toilet can aerosolize and throw germs up onto surfaces within about five feet," Heinz says. “With flat surfaces, it can collect dust or other things that are in the air, so make sure you're wiping those down frequently. At least weekly, if not daily.”

Heinz recommends cleaning areas of your bathroom twice. The first time is for cleaning, the second time is for disinfecting. And don’t forget about the soap dispenser! Heinz says since this is one of the first places people reach to clean their hands, it’s one of the dirtiest places in the bathroom.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the surface you’re wiping stays wet the entire time of contact to make sure germs are killed. You should clean surfaces with water and soap and scrub them before sanitizing or disinfecting them.

According to the CDC, “Cleaning removes most germs, dirt and impurities from surfaces. Clean with water, soap and scrubbing. Sanitizing reduces germs to levels public health codes or regulations consider safe. Sanitizing is done with weaker bleach solutions or sanitizing sprays. Clean surfaces before you sanitize them. Disinfecting kills most germs on surfaces and objects. Disinfecting is done with stronger bleach solutions or chemicals.”

Don't mix multiple chemicals

"With any products that you're going to be using, I'd make sure you're looking at the warning labels. I would definitely not mix chemicals," Heinz says. “If you are going to use one chemical and then use another, I'd make sure that you're rinsing thoroughly, making sure it dries, and then you can use the next product.”

If you’re diluting a chemical-based product, the CDC says to only use water at room temperature. Adding that an extra safety precaution is to wear eye and skin protection (like gloves) and store chemicals out of children’s reach.

Don’t forget your toothbrush!

Does your toothbrush hang out on the bathroom counter? You might want to rethink that.

"If you keep your toothbrush on the counter, it likely has fecal matter on it. So, put your toothbrush away or switch it often and clean it,” Heinz says.

Stop the spread | Toilet style

Here’s a habit change you can consider. Instead of flushing the toilet and just walking away, close the lid before you flush and keep the germs inside.

"Make sure when you're flushing the toilet, go ahead and close the lid. That's going to minimize the number of germs that are spraying all over your bathroom and aerosolizing," Heinz says.

Heinz adds another fun fact about the dirtiness of toilets – the minerals in the water. She says the minerals in toilet water can get stuck to the toilet bowl, which can also be a breeding ground for germs.

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Pneumonia.

It’s a hard enough word to spell, let alone remember how to prevent and treat it. With respiratory illness season here, it’s time for a reminder about how to avoid this possibly deadly condition.

The basics

Fred Burke, MD, an emergency medicine physician who treats people at OSF HealthCare, says pneumonia is a lung infection caused by a virus or bacteria.

“The most common bacteria that causes it is strep pneumonia [in medical terms, streptococcus pneumoniae or pneumococcus]. The viruses that cause it are things like RSV [respiratory syncytial virus], flu [influenza] and COVID-19 [coronavirus],” Dr. Burke says.

In other words, you could get the flu, and it could progress to pneumonia. The phrase double pneumonia means it’s impacting both lungs. Dr. Burke says people with pneumonia could experience coughing, fever, chills and weakness.

“It can cause a consolidation in the lungs. That interferes with air movement,” Dr. Burke says. “You can also get fluid buildup and scarring in the lungs.” Consolidation refers to inflamed cells that form a mass.

Diagnosis and treatment

Dr. Burke says when someone comes to the emergency department with pneumonia symptoms, a health care provider could do a chest X-ray or CAT scan to confirm the diagnosis.

“If we find it’s from a viral infection, people have to ride it out. There’s no treatment for [the ailment itself]. But we can treat the symptoms. We can give Tylenol for fever or an inhaler for shortness of breath or wheezing,” Dr. Burke explains. “If it’s from a bacterial infection, we give antibiotic medication.”

The person could take antibiotics by mouth for one to two weeks. Or, if they are having trouble breathing, the medicine would be given through intravenous (IV) therapy. Either way, the goal is to stop the bacteria in the lungs from growing.

Another tactic is a bronchoscope, where a pulmonologist inserts a tube down your throat to break up mucus in your airways.

But Dr. Burke cautions: don’t let the guidance of some “ride it out” fool you. Pneumonia is a common cause of hospitalization and death worldwide.

“One complication is sepsis, when the infection spreads to the blood. That can cause organ failure,” Dr. Burke warns. “Pneumonia can also cause respiratory failure [when the lungs aren’t working properly]. Those people might require additional oxygen. Or if it serious enough, they might require intubation [a breathing tube down the throat] or be placed on life support.”



Is it contagious?

Yes, pneumonia can spread from person to person, Dr. Burke says. It’s often transmitted through respiratory droplets (coughing or sneezing on someone), but it can spread on surfaces as well. A child could touch a dirty doorknob then put their hands in their mouth, for example.

That’s why everyday hygiene is important. Wash your hands with soap and warm water thoroughly and often. Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue. Stay home and away from others if you’re sick. These are especially important for people at higher risk for pneumonia: people with a history of strokes or seizures, people suffering from substance abuse, people with a compromised immune system (those with HIV or a transplanted organ, for example), smokers and people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also outlines the guidelines for the pneumococcal vaccine. Talk to your primary care provider if you have questions about the shot.

“The vaccine comes from evidence-based medicine. Experts have done studies. It’s shown to be very effective in decreasing the severity of pneumonia,” Dr. Burke explains. “I would recommend people take the vaccine.”

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With temperatures cooling, Awad Alyami, MD, an OSF HealthCare pediatrician, says we’re approaching the peak season for sore throats. Many cases have time-tested treatments, but some can have serious complications.

Dr. Alyami says a sore throat is an infection that causes inflammation in your throat. They’re annoying and painful, bringing symptoms like difficulty swallowing or talking and swelling of glands and tonsils. Causes can include tonsil stones, heartburn and allergies. But most commonly, causes break down into two groups: viral and bacterial.

Viral infections

Dr. Alyami says many viruses can cause sore throats – the common cold, influenza, coronavirus and others. Dr. Alyami says if your sore throat comes with coughing or a runny nose, that’s a sign it’s a viral infection. You can start treatment at home with over-the-counter medicine like Tylenol and ibuprofen. You can also gargle salt water and, generally, stay hydrated. Water is good for all ages, and Pedialyte can help hydrate kids.

If your symptoms include fever and neck swelling, it’s a more serious situation. You should see a health care provider.

Bacterial infections

The main bacterial infection that causes sore throats is group A streptococcus (commonly known as strep or strep throat). Strep throat may bring the hallmark sore throat symptoms, but you should also watch for fever and white patches toward the back of your mouth.

“This is a bacterial infection that’s common in kids,” Dr. Alyami says of strep throat.  “About 30% of sore throats are strep, and about 70% are viral. It’s a big deal. We need to treat to prevent complications.”

The most common complication is dehydration, Dr. Alyami says.

“The sore throat is so bad, the child doesn’t want to eat or drink,” he explains.

Other times, untreated strep throat can lead to abscesses, or pus pockets.

“If that abscess gets big enough, it can go toward other structures in the body that are very important. That infection can spread and progress very quickly,” Dr. Alyami says. Life-threatening conditions like difficulty breathing can result.

Dr. Alyami says providers can diagnose strep throat with a throat swab. They treat strep throat with 10 days of antibiotic medication, either injected or taken orally. He says most kids will take the medicine orally unless that’s troublesome. For example, some kids have a tough time swallowing pills due to throat pain.

Prevention

It’s advice you’ve heard before, but it’s worth repeating. Dr. Alyami says good hand hygiene goes a long way to preventing sore throats. Wash your hands thoroughly, and keep them away from your face.

Early detection is also key.

“If the child is sick, especially with symptoms that could be strep, it’s better to get them to a health care professional early,” Dr. Alyami implores. “They can get checked and isolated for 12 to 24 hours before they start antibiotics.

“If you’re sure about what they have, it’s better to just bring them in and get them checked,” he adds. Or, a virtual visit is an option.

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College students will soon be home for summer break. They’re embarking on their independent phase, so opening up about mental health to their parents might not top the summer to-do list. It can leave parents wondering: How did the school year go? Did they make friends? Are they doing OK mentally?

Rachel Yuhas, LCPC, a psychotherapist at OSF HealthCare, says there are dos and don’ts to get the most out of a conversation with a young adult.

School stress

Yuhas says going off to college is a huge transition. The student may miss home. They may have trouble being accountable with no 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. structure they had in high school. Making friends can also be difficult. Yuhas says college students may be stressed and scared to branch out and meet people.

“They might be anxious or get into a rut of depression. They might isolate. They might sleep too much or not sleep at all,” Yuhas says.

Warning signs

Yuhas says parents should watch for drastic changes in their college student’s appearance as a possible “red flag” of a mental health concern. Some weight gain or loss in college is expected, but significant weight changes should warrant a discussion.

“This might mean they’re not taking care of themselves,” Yuhas says. “Stress might be coming on. They might be depressed. All of those things can cause issues with appetite.”

Other things to watch for:

• The young adult is spending most of their time away from others. Maybe they’re in their room sleeping all day.
   
• They drop hints about their college experience, such as “I didn’t join any new clubs this year.”
   
• The person looks messy. Maybe they used to be a snazzy dresser with groomed hair, but they stopped keeping up that appearance. Or they stopped hygiene practices like using deodorant or brushing their teeth. Parents should ask themselves: Is my child keeping up with daily tasks?

Dos and don’ts

It’s time to talk to your child about their mental health.

• Do: Ask open ended questions, and let the child fill in the blanks. For example: How did final exams go?
  
  Don’t: Ask accusatory questions like: What’s wrong with you? Or: Why aren’t you talking to us?
  
  “If you get mad at them, that makes it worse. They won’t want to open up,” Yuhas says.
   
• Do: Find the right time. Let the child get settled back in, and have a conversation over lunch a day or two later.
  
  Don’t: Bombard your student with questions the moment they get into the house.
   
• Do: Curtail your reactions and judgements. Be kind and mindful.
  
  “Instead of asking ‘Why?’, say ‘Oh my gosh. I didn’t know about this. What’s been going on? Tell me more.’,” Yuhas says.
  
  Don’t: Have knee-jerk reactions like: How could you? Or: Why did you fail that class? Or even: You know I don’t like your major. Why haven’t you dropped it yet?

Next steps

After that first conversation, Yuhas urges parents to not let the issue go.

“I encourage parents to become emotion coaches with their children,” Yuhas says. “Continue to check in. Continue to ask, ‘How are you doing?’ or ‘I saw the college had this event. Was it something you went to?’ Just stay involved in their everyday life, but don’t bombard them.”

If things aren’t improving, the conversation might turn to: I want to help you. Have you thought about talking to a therapist? Would that be a good option?

“Put the ball in their court,” Yuhas says.

“When we go off to college, it can be a huge adjustment. So we try to normalize their feelings,” Yuhas adds, outlining what she might talk to a college student about in a therapy session. “We go over ways to make friends and socialize. We go over how to manage stress, anxiety and depression. We talk about coping skills.”

For example, if a student is leaving their dormitory just for class, Yuhas may suggest going to the library to study. The student may make a friend along the way. Yuhas may suggest exercise or meditation. Or, is homework procrastination causing stress? There are ways to change those habits.

Learn more

Read more about healthy thoughts and behaviors on the OSF HealthCare website. If your stress has reached a crisis where you are thinking about harming yourself or others, talk to a trusted adult or mental health professional or go to the emergency department right away. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is also available.

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Humans are well-equipped to bounce back from most cases of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, RSV and the flu. But in some cases, the impact on your lungs can be long-lasting, leading to chronic symptoms like difficulty breathing, fatigue or brain fog. You can also be at a higher risk for a blood clot or infection in your lungs.

“There’s damage to the lungs in the form of cellular damage, as well as immune system dysregulation and prolonged inflammation,” says Yiran Gong, MD, a pulmonologist at OSF HealthCare. “These can be the drivers of post-COVID syndrome, or extensive and persistent symptoms after the resolution of the viral illness.”

Dr. Gong admits the outlook can be daunting. But health care providers have several ways to attack the problem.

Pulmonary rehabilitation involves breathing exercises to “retrain your body on how to breathe,” Dr. Gong says. For people with post COVID-asthma, a provider may prescribe an inhaler to reduce inflammation in the lungs’ small airways.

“There are medications to slow the progression of pulmonary fibrosis [scarring]. However, these medications have not really been researched for COVID specifically just because of how short of a time COVID has been around,” Dr. Gong says. “People who do have extensive lung scarring will require referral to a transplant center.”

Staying on top of your health, such as being up to date on vaccines and practicing good hygiene (like washing your hands thoroughly and often), is a good way to avoid the illnesses that cause lung issues. But if you are dealing with chronic lung symptoms, Dr. Gong says you shouldn’t lose hope.

“See a physician. Make sure there’s not an underlying cause that hasn’t been treated,” he says. “Then you’ll work on optimizing lung function. Take it one step at a time.”

Read more about how to keep your lungs in top shape on the OSF HealthCare website.

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Fall and winter could be renamed “coughing season” with seasonal illnesses in the air. But there’s more to coughing than the brief but annoying impact on your day.

Some coughing is normal. But you should see a health care provider quickly when you cough up things you shouldn’t.

The basics: Why do you cough?

Aminat Ogun, MD, a family medicine physician at OSF HealthCare, says coughing is one way your body protects your lungs and airways from irritants. You expel the bad stuff out of our system, she says.

Some everyday things that can make you cough: breathing in smoke, allergies and mucus dripping down to your throat and irritating it. Or, you may just wake up in the morning and cough a few times to lighten your chest. These shouldn’t alarm you, Dr. Ogun says.

“We have cough receptors in our airways and lungs,” Dr. Ogun explains. “If we have mucus or an irritant, there’s a signal sent to our brain. The brain activates those receptors to have the cough action happen. So that’s why you clear your throat or cough in the morning. You’re trying to clear out your airways.”

If your cough is associated with an illness (like a cold, flu, RSV, COVID, bronchitis or pertussis, also called whooping cough) or a chronic condition (like asthma or COPD), you should be seeing a provider as often as needed to learn how to manage things.

Coughing up things you shouldn’t

Watch for signs that your cough may be linked to a more serious problem, Dr. Ogun says.

• Mucus: Our airways produce mucus to trap irritants, Dr. Ogun says. So it’s not out of the ordinary to cough up mucus from time to time. But if the mucus is thick or a different color (green or yellow), it could be a sign of pneumonia or bronchitis.
  
  “When it’s persistent [cough with mucus] and it’s affecting your breathing, you definitely want to be seen [by a provider,]” Dr. Ogun says.
   
• Vomit: Dr. Ogun says sometimes, you just cough hard enough to bring up some vomit. If it’s a “one-off,” as she calls it, you should still see a provider, but it may not be cause for great concern. But persistent vomiting while coughing could be a sign of whooping cough, acid reflux or aspiration (when food or drink gets into the lungs).
   
• Blood: Coughing blood brings a high level of concern, Dr. Ogun says.
  
  “Sometimes you have the common cold, you’re coughing for a long period and you irritated your airways. Maybe you nick the capillary artery [leading to coughing blood.] That’s fine,” Dr. Ogun says. “But more serious conditions would be a blood clot in the lung or tuberculosis.”
  
  Heart failure, lung cancer or infections are also associated with coughing up blood.
   

Diagnosis and treatment

When you see a provider for an abnormal cough, they’ll ask about your health history, specifically about your cough. How long have you been coughing? Did something trigger it? What are you coughing up? Do you have other symptoms, like a fever?

“Then the provider could do a physical examination. They look at the back of your throat. They listen to your lungs to see if they hear anything concerning. Depending on what they find, they could order a chest X-ray or a CT scan to see what’s going on inside your chest,” Dr. Ogun says.

Treatment will depend on what the provider finds. For example, acid reflux can be tamped down by an antacid or a proton pump inhibitor (PPI). For an infection like pneumonia, you’ll get an antibiotic. If it is just an irritating tickle in your throat, you may get a steroid like Flonase.

What you can do

Some advice from Dr. Ogun to ensure coughs don’t derail your health:

• Parents should keep a close eye on kids and their coughing.
   
• No matter the age, don’t shake off one instance of a bad cough and assume things will go back to normal. See a provider right away.
   
• While vaccines don’t prevent coughing, Dr. Ogun says they are critically important to stomp out the illnesses associated with coughing. Talk to your health care provider about when you’re due for flu, COVID, RSV, pneumonia and Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) vaccines.
  
  “Pertussis is dangerous in immunocompromised people and kids,” Dr. Ogun warns. “RSV is highly contagious, as well. It’s life-threating in infants and older adults.
  
  “What vaccines do is help prevent getting to the very severe stage [of an illness,]” she adds. “You’re trying to prevent ending up in the hospital. You’re also reducing the risk of infection. And you’re protecting people around you who may be sicker than you.”
   
• Daily hygiene habits also go a long way. Sneeze or cough into your elbow or a tissue. Wash your hands often. Stay home and away from others when sick. Again, these don’t prevent coughs. But they can help prevent the spread of illness that brings those rough coughing fits.

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It can cause panic for parents, but it doesn’t have to.

Emily Isom is talking about head lice, something she sees often as a mother and a certified medical assistant in pediatrics at OSF HealthCare.

The good news for parents: in most cases, your child doesn’t have to miss school and can be treated with over-the-counter remedies.

Lice basics

Isom says lice (the singular form is louse) are tiny insects that sit on your scalp. They typically spread when you share objects like a comb or hat or when you have head-to-head contact with someone. Itchiness is the primary symptom, and the infestation usually lasts seven to 10 days.

“If someone ignores it, it can lead to infections and open sores,” Isom warns. “The insects are going to keep biting the same spot, and the person is going to keep scratching the spot.”

The lice can also lay eggs and multiply, Isom says.

Isom suggests parents and teachers be vigilant about lice. Check your child when they get home from school or anytime you notice they are scratching their head excessively. Use a fine-toothed comb and a magnifying glass to look for sores, bleeding, pus and the insects themselves or their eggs. The eggs are called nits and are white in color.

“For girls with long hair, it can take a long time,” Isom says with a smirk. “Start at the scalp and go down to get the nits and lice onto the comb. Clean the comb, and go back through another section.”

Treatment and prevention

You can take your child to their pediatrician if you feel it’s needed. But for a mild first case of lice, Isom says over-the-counter products at home, like the Nix® or Rid® treatment kits, may do the trick. If your child isn’t getting better, has a repeat infection or has significant symptoms, definitely talk to your pediatrician or an urgent care. They may advise a virtual visit so lice don’t spread. Isom says she often sees doctors prescribe Natroba™, a shampoo that kills lice.

For prevention, keeping a clean home goes a long way.

If you already have a case of lice in your home: “Spray the couches, bedding and floors with sprays that are for lice. You have to vacuum. You have to bag every stuffed animal for at least two weeks to suffocate the lice. Take the sheets off the bed every day and dry them on high heat until you know the lice are gone,” Isom says. Stray clothing should also be dried on high heat.

All that work may lead you to believe that kids with lice should be isolated for a while. Not so, Isom says.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says if a child has lice, they don’t need to leave school early. Once they start treatment, they can return to school. Isom suggests checking with your child’s school to see how it handles lice.

Misconceptions

There’s a lot people get wrong about lice, Isom says.

• They’re the result of poor hygiene.
  
  Isom says that can play a role, and she recommends you wash your hair daily (Fairy Tales is a good shampoo brand for kids, she says.) But, Isom says anyone can get lice.
  
  “Dirty hair or clean hair. Lice can go to both,” she says. “But if you have dirty hair, lice won’t like that. With clean hair, there are no oils and buildups of hair products. The lice can more easily attach themselves.”
   
• Lice can jump from person to person.
  
  No, they typically spread from sharing items or close contact.
   
• I need to call an exterminator.
  
  Not needed, Isom says. A thorough clean of your home should be fine.
   
• I heard that an at-home remedy like an essential oil will work.
  
  “Stick to what’s proven,” Isom says, referring to over-the-counter or prescription products. She’s even heard of some people putting flammable material in their hair, an obvious risk for a fire.
   
• Lice carry diseases.
  
  Isom reiterates that constant scratching can lead to wounds and infections. But she says lice are not like the flu or COVID-19.
  
  “It’s a pest,” she says.

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Busting hygiene myths

This is part two of a two part story on hygiene myths. Click here for part one.

From health care providers to websites to advice passed down through generations, there are a lot of ways to get health care information, especially tips for minor ailments you can treat at home.

Awad Alyami, MD, a pediatrician at OSF HealthCare, breaks down some common myths.

• Myth: When I shower, bathe or wash my hands, really hot water is best to kill germs.

Fact: Really hot showers can feel good, but they may burn your skin. Dr. Alyami recommends setting your home’s water heater at 120 degrees or less. Then, when you use the shower or sink, warm, but not hot water is best.

Dr. Alyami adds that a cold shower after a sweaty summer activity is OK because it can reduce the chance of heat rash. But frequent cold showers can irritate your skin.

• Myth: Q-tips are meant for cleaning your ear.

Fact: “The ear is a self-cleaning oven. Most everything inside the ear will come out on its own,” Dr. Alyami says. “When we put anything inside the ear, we are pushing everything from the outside to the inside, especially earwax. It makes it harder for the ear to clean itself.”

Using Q-tips and similar devices can lead to injuries to the ear canal or eardrum, Dr. Alyami adds. Instead, during your shower or bath, gently clean and dry the outside of your ears. If your ears look or feel off (pain or itchiness, for example), see a provider.

“We can clean you safely in the office,” Dr. Alyami says.

• Myth: For cuts and scrapes, apply antibiotic ointment like Neosporin until it heals.

Fact: You can apply the ointment once after cleaning the wound and then again after the wound is healed. But doing so often can lead to contact dermatitis, a bad skin reaction.

• Myth: The “five second rule” is OK for eating food that’s fallen on the floor.

Fact: Dr. Alyami puts this one to rest once and for all: Don’t do it. Always eat off a sanitary surface.

He even says that research has shown that bacteria from the floor can attach to food in as little as less than one second. Eating dirty food can lead to vomiting and stomach illnesses.

Interview clips

He was at a Champaign, Illinois, hospital where his five-year-old daughter Gabby was fighting for her life with what was later confirmed to be Rocky Mountain spotted fever as the result of a tick bite.

Gabby died of sepsis, a condition where your body responds improperly to an infection, three days later. The heartbreak led Tony and his family to become intimately familiar with sepsis. They’re now advocates for sepsis awareness, both ensuring health care providers are following best practices and patients are speaking up.

“I remember slamming every object around me,” in the days following Gabby’s death, Tony Galbo recalls. “I said ‘there’s gotta be a law to protect patients, especially children.’,”

Sepsis and septic shock

Many of the things the Galbo family advocates for to this day are already in place at OSF HealthCare.

Kurt Bloomstrand, MD, is chair of emergency services at OSF HealthCare Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana, Illinois. He says aside from following established, rigid protocol, OSF Heart of Mary is going the extra mile for sepsis prevention in a couple of ways. One, the hospital is leading the OSF Ministry in continuing sepsis screening and alerts for people after they are admitted (not just in the emergency department). And two, the facility is among the top 10% of hospitals in the country in following sepsis protocol as measured by the United States Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Those CMS core measures include giving antibiotics and fluids and rechecking a person’s vital signs in a timely manner.

“We’re trying to identify a set of signs called the systemic inflammatory response syndrome, or SIRS,” Dr. Bloomstrand says. “Those include a fever, a fast heart rate, fast breathing and elevated or low white blood cell count. If someone has any two of those with a source of infection, we consider them possibly septic. We want to establish treatment for them very quickly.”

Treatment includes antibiotic medication or intravenous fluids along with continued testing to pinpoint the problem.

“We take this extremely seriously because we know time is tissue. The sooner we get the treatment, the better the outcome.” Dr. Bloomstrand adds. “Any person who comes into one of our emergency departments, no matter the cause, will be screened for sepsis right from the start. When we get your vital signs, that’s screening for sepsis. If you flag positive, there are alerts that go out to our staff. Then it walks us through a very specific sepsis algorithm for treatment.”

What you can do

Dr. Bloomstrand says young kids, older adults and people with serious health conditions like heart disease and diabetes are at a higher risk for sepsis. Your best bet to prevent sepsis is to practice healthy habits and prevent infection in the first place.

• Wash your hands frequently, especially after touching high-germ areas in public like a doorknob.
   
• Avoid touching your face.
   
• Sneeze and cough into your elbow or a tissue.
   
• Stay home when you’re sick.
   
• Treat wounds and bug bites properly, quickly and under guidance from a health care provider. Dr. Bloomstrand notes that pets can also harbor ticks that can cause serious illness.

Dr. Bloomstrand adds that hospital staff are empowered to speak up if they spot a possible sepsis case. But you can also speak up on behalf of yourself or a loved one about what sepsis surveillance is being done.

“It’s appropriate to make sure you are asking these questions just to make sure you’re keeping it at the front of the care provider’s mind,” Dr. Bloomstrand says.

“If we don’t catch sepsis soon enough, it can result in organ dysfunction,” he adds. “There may be long-term complications with their kidneys, such as needing dialysis. If their lungs fail, there may be long-term respiratory issues. There may be brain issues, so they have mental status changes long-term.”

Gabby’s Law

On August 18, 2016, then-Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner came to Presence Covenant Medical Center (now OSF Heart of Mary) to sign Gabby’s Law.

“Senate Bill 2403 requires hospitals to adopt evidence-based protocols for the early recognition and treatment of patients with sepsis, severe sepsis or septic shock that are based on generally accepted standards of care,” the Governor’s office said at the time. “It requires the protocols contain certain components, including those specific to identifying and treating adults and children.”

Tony Galbo recalls many meetings with lawmakers, health care groups and other stakeholders to get the plan the support it needed. And that wasn’t the end. He’s testified before lawmakers in other states and in Washington, D.C., and done countless interviews.

“Sepsis does not discriminate. It does not care about age,” Galbo says.

Interview clips - Tony Galbo

Interview clips - Dr. Kurt Bloomstrand

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You should not feed a fever and starve a cold, hydration is key when you're sick. 

Do not go back to work or school until you're fever free for 24 hours, that's less than 100.4 degrees, and have improving symptoms. 

You do not need really hot water to wash hands, shower, or bathe. Warm water is fine. 

And for ears, ditch those Q-Tips.

“The ear is a self-cleaning oven. Most everything inside the ear will come out on its own," says Awad Alyami, MD, a pediatrician with OSF HealthCare. "When we put anything inside the ear, we are pushing everything from the outside to the inside, especially earwax. It makes it harder for the ear to clean itself.”

And the five second rule? It's fiction. 

Bacteria from the floor can get on food in a second. So don't try to sneak a bite.

Health Highlights Video Version With Chyrons

Health Highlights Video Version Without Chyrons

Kent Splaingard, DMD, recalls decades ago when he learned his mother had stage three gum disease. Her dental providers told her that dentures were likely in a few years.

But after thirty years of treating his mother, Dr. Splaingard says she lost just one tooth.

“I always point it out here,” Dr. Splaingard says, gesturing to where the tooth was. “I remember taking that tooth out thinking, ‘What a failure.’ But I really look back at it and say, ‘What a success.’ Mom had her teeth all her life.”

It’s a prime example of how therapeutic dental treatment can reverse the effects of gum disease. And it’s something he sees weekly with patients at OSF HealthCare in Alton, Illinois. Dr. Splaingard is a retired private practice dentist and an instructor at Lewis and Clark Community College in nearby Godfrey. He and his students regularly see OSF patients who need extra dental attention.

It’s important work, Dr. Splaingard says, because our body functions as a whole. Advanced gum disease will likely make other medical conditions worse.

“The mouth is like a picture window into the body’s health,” he says.

Gum disease basics

Dr. Splaingard says gum disease is a bacterial infection caused by poor oral hygiene. The bacteria embed into the gum tissue, and that typically results in a low-grade chronic infection (in other words, a problem over a longer period). Left untreated, your gums will constantly be red (not the normal pink), swollen and sore. Bleeding is possible, too.

“You see a lot of debris on the teeth. You may see a film of bacteria. You also see a white-ish coating on the soft tissue,” Dr. Splaingard adds.

“You also see the social and economic problems with the people who can’t chew properly. The poor nutrition they may be getting,” he adds.

Treatment for gum disease is a combination of thorough cleaning by a dental professional, treatments that stop bacteria from reproducing and antibiotic medication. In severe cases, a dental specialist may perform surgery. That could involve pulling some or all of a person’s teeth.

Prevention

Dr. Splaingard says gum disease can be passed down genetically, but general prevention goes back to what dentists have told you since you were a kid.

• Brush and floss regularly. The American Dental Association recommends brushing twice per day and flossing once per day. If you have questions about frequency, talk to your dentist.
• See a dentist regularly. Twice per year is a good starting point, but some people who need extra attention could go four times per year.
• In between those appointments, watch your teeth and gums and let your dentist know if something doesn’t seem right.

“It’s education, motivation and self-treatment,” Dr. Splaingard says.

Learn more

Read more about oral health on the OSF HealthCare website.

Interview clips